Known arthroscopic bone burr instruments utilize a rotating inner tube/shaft to which the burr (cutting) element is attached and a rigid, stationary, outer tube to cover the rotating inner tube. The distal end of the outer tube has an opening through which the burr element may contact the tissue to be acted upon. When the burr element is pressed against a tissue surface, e.g., to abrade away a portion of the surface of a bone, it typically experiences loading in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation (side loading). Known designs may utilize the outer tube to support the burr element and rotating inner tube against side loading. A bearing formed from a material having a lower coefficient of friction may be incorporated between the inner rotating tube and the stationary, rigid outer tube proximate the burr element to reduce the friction resulting from the rotating inner tube bearing against the stationary outer tube. Notwithstanding a reduction of friction by use of a bearing, side loading experienced during arthroscopic surgery may result in wear of the rotating inner tube and/or the bearing and/or the stationary outer tube. There is a need in this art for novel, improved bone burrs for use in arthroscopic surgical procedures, which overcome the deficiencies of the bone burrs of the prior art.